There is no single ‘correct’ method for the process of customer journey mapping; lots of companies have distinct techniques, many of which are valuable. That’s why we’ve been evolving our own Lifelines™ methodology for over ten years and we’re not finished yet!
But we do have some firm principles about what the outputs of customer journey maps should do:
1. Show what is valuable – at a concise level, a journey map should identify the key needs and expectation level of customers at each major touchpoint, described in the way a customer would phrase it.
2. Highlight unmet need – but we advise not necessarily assuming these gaps must be closed. The priority is to identify them and consider how well they fit with the overall brand positioning (e.g. discount retailers may compromise on top quality, but not on customer safety).
3. ‘At-a-glance’ understanding– provide all the headline action points on a single page, with the detail kept online as reference information. This makes for easy cascading of insight through the organisation to drive consistent, impactful customer experiences.
We will also advise on setting key metrics to track the value and return on investment (ROI) of an implemented customer journey design, taking input from the company brand strategy and business model.
As an example, this Lifeline™ helped the UK’s 2nd biggest online retailer Argos to understand and improve the customer experience of ordering and receiving a large item delivered to home. Based on the findings, Argos picked out six key issues to fix, as well as five areas that added value to the customer, and helped to differentiate the experience. The result of the implementation reduced incoming calls and missed delivery slots, as well increasing repeat orders.
This case study also highlighted our use of design thinking principles - anchoring our discovery of customer needs with empathetic interviews to capture their stories and experiences. This allows us to define problems in their own words, and develop potential solutions that can be quickly beta-tested, pending a full rollout if successful.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how we can support your organisation in customer journey mapping and design, get in touch at info@customerfaithful.com.